Edmund Rice was born in Callan, County Kilkenny.  He became a successful business man in Waterford supplying shops at the port.  He married in 1785 and had one daughter but shortly after his marriage and daughter's birth, in 1789 his wife passed away.  After seeing first hand the poor educatin of the boys in Waterford Edmund Rice took up the education of the youth.  in 1802 the foundation was laid fom which sprung the chritian Brothers and Presentation Brothers.  Edmund Rice died in 1844.